Local business and community leaders prepare business students for success

Kesha Williams
January 30, 2012

The Walter R. Davis School of Business and Economics will hold a series of sessions featuring local business and community leaders to prepare students for the workforce on January 30 and January 31 in Williams Hall. Dr. Hilton Barrett, a professor in the Walter R. Davis School of Business and Economics, says the series will give students insight into the practice of business and the opportunities for them.

&quotWe will bring local guest speakers from businesses, nonprofits and government agencies. It does not matter whether it is a non-profit, business or government organization,&quot Barrett said, &quotOur students need to know what it takes to make it (success) happen.

Dr. David Bejou, dean of the Walter R. Davis School of Business and Economics, says the highlight of this two-day event is the student forum.&ampnbsp It takes place every semester for all of the students in the Walter R. Davis School of Business and Economics. The purpose of the forum is to celebrate the accomplishments of the previous year and plan for the future activities of the school.&ampnbsp This year, the forum is also a celebration of the Black History Month.&ampnbsp Bejou said the forum speakers are Chancellor Gilchrist, Don Davis from DRS, and three faculty members from the school.&ampnbsp This year’s theme is &quotAchieving Excellence, Fulfilling Dreams.&quot&ampnbsp We are very pleased and honored that Don Davis has agreed join us for this year’s forum, Bejou stated.

Don Davis, vice president of Operations Sustainment &ampamp Modernization DRS Technologies C3 &ampamp Aviation Company, is the keynote speaker for the Student Forum at 3:30 p.m. on January 31 in the Floyd L Robinson Auditorium of the Mickey L. Burnim Fine Arts Center. This speech is open to the public.

Davis joined the United States Marine Corps in 1976 as an aircraft mechanic. He served for 25 years as an enlisted Helicopter Mechanic, Crew Chief, and Maintenance Officer retiring as a Major in August 2001. Don joined The Boeing Company in the fall of 2001 as a Business Development Manager and interim site leader of Cecil Commerce Center in Jacksonville, FL. He remained with the company and earned two additional promotions: 2005 Senior Manager Business Development and Strategy for Naval Integrated Logistics in Saint Louis, MO., and 2008 Executive position as Director Maintenance Modifications &ampamp Upgrades Division Business Development team. The MM&ampampU business portfolio covers more than 40 platforms in the domestic and international markets. In this position, Davis was responsible for strategic vision, campaign strategy, and program management evaluation.

Davis joined DRS in June of 2010 as the Vice President of Operations for the Aviation Division, Sustainment, and Modernization located in Elizabeth City, NC. As Vice President of Operations, Don is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction to ensure safe operations and delivery of affordable quality products on schedule to the United States Government. In this position, he reports directly to the Vice President/General Manager of Aviation &ampamp Logistics Company. Davis earned a Bachelor of Science in Management while on active duty. He and his wife Mechele live in Camden, N.C.

DRS Technologies, Inc. headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica S.p.A. (FNC.MI) which employs approximately 71,000 people worldwide. DRS’ Elizabeth City site includes two modern aircraft modification, repair and overhaul facilities. Each facility is over 100,000 square feet and allows the site to perform large aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul, mainly for the United States Coast Guard’s fleet of C-130 aircraft. For more information about DRS Technologies, please visit the company’s website at www.drs.com